RE funding to depend on coal cess kitty

The budgetary allocation to MNRE has increased 26 per cent to Rs 10,814 crore for 2017-18. However, the projects would have to depend on the coal cess pool, as more than half of the ministry's budget would come from the National Environment Fund (NEF). Close to Rs 5,341 crore worth of funding would be sourced from the NEF, which is collected by imposing cess of Rs 400 a tonne on domestically produced and imported coal, lignite and pite. The coal cess estimated to be collected in the coming year is Rs 29,700 crore.